Border Collies are well known for their intelligence, agility, and hardworking nature. Although these dogs are not preferred for police work, there seems to be an increase in interest in their potential as dogs for law enforcement. This review takes on the question: can a Border Collie be a police dog? We will look into their specific traits, the potential ability of Border Collies as compared to normal working dogs, and actual instances of Border Collies being used for police purposes.
Border Collie Traits and Police Dog Requirements
In order to answer whether Border Collies can be used as police dogs or not, the first step is to analyze the characteristics of these dogs alongside the features of the law enforcement agency.
General Characteristics of Border Collies
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Intelligent
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Very Fast and Quick on their Feet
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Willing to work
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Cattle-eeps
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Easy to teach
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Faithfulness
Basic Requirements of a Police Dog
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Bodybuilding and Endurance
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Braveness and being protective
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Nose Sensitivity
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Discipline and Concentration
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Flexibility
Border Collies are universal working dogs completing tasks in many domains, however, could perhaps have difficulties in some domains when compared to the usual breeds of working dog used in police department.
Border Collies Versus The Police Dog Breeds
Now let’s see how Border Collies fare against the commonly used Police dogs in the essential areas.
| Trait | Border Collie | German Shepherd | Belgian Malinois |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Medium | Large | Medium-Large |
| Strength | Moderate | High | High |
| Agility | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
| Intelligence | Exceptional | High | High |
| Trainability | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Protective Instinct | Moderate | Strong | Strong |
| Endurance | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
From the above, Border Collies do have some advantages and other disadvantages in view of the conventional bred areas of work that have been in law enforcement.
Roles for Border Collies as Law Enforcement Officials
Border Collies are not to be functions as suitable police dogs, though they may have certain roles as follows:
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Search and Rescue: Their speed and utilizarion of licking makes them possibly the best in locating lost people.
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Narcotics Detection: The Border Collies experts state that the dogs productive sense of smell and concentration may be of assistance in narcotic test.
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Crowd Control: Rather, them herding by instincts may be helpful in controlling a number of people.
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Patrol Support: However, faster and more agile than these breeds may be an asset in chasing down the enemy within.
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Explosive Detection: Their ability to smell and follow scents and focus with some detail may assist them in fumigating bomb substances.
Border Collies Performance in Face of Trouble
As much as it is not a core aspect, there are sightings of attorneys deploying Border Collies in the execution of their duties.
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In New South Wales Australia, the law enforcement authorities have tried out the Border Collies in the capacity of haze detection dogs.
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Coordination of many activities using Border K9s has shown positive results being reported by some of the police K-9 trainer experts who used them on long forums.
These examples lead to the conclusion that even though not conventional, Border Collies can be possibly engaged in select capacities of the police dog.
Benefits of Adopting Border Collies as Police Dogs
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Intelligent: Like other breeds, border collies have their index of intelligence. Border collies are hailed as probably the most intelligent dog breed and this could help in police work as they have a faster learning ability.
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Agility: Their speed and flexibility might prove useful during chase situations or in treacherous situations.
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Work Ethic: Border Collies have the farmwork instinct and a strong desire to satisfy their handlers, which are often more sought after in police dog breeds.
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Adaptability: They are fairly quick learners and are able to follow instructions that seem simple or sophisticated and perform a variety of roles in a law enforcement agency.
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Less Intimidating Appearance: Concerning community policing approaches, the drawbacks of using them may be counter-balancing their positive advantages.
Issues and Limitations
In spite of the above strengths, there are many factors that limit the ability of Border Collies to function as police dogs.
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Physical Size: They are not likely to intimidate like German Sheppard and other bigger breeds which are very beneficial in police cultures.
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Protective Instinct: While they are really friendly, Border Collies might lack some of the protective aggression present in more traditional police breeds.
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Sensitivity: Border Collies may suffer from being too delicate and not able to withstand tough conditions in the field of work which is not quite preferable in police work.
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Public Perception: The use of the breed in police work is not common hence their ability to act as a crime preventive measure may be compromised.
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Specialized Training: In most cases it would be inevitable to segregate the traits and characteristics of Border Collies within training practices.
Training Considerations for Border Collies in Police Work
In case a law enforcement agency opts for Border collies, there are some special training considerations that have to be taken into account:
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Capitalize on Herding Instincts: Use their natural herding abilities for congregation or suspect inner zones.
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Enhance Scent Work: Work on their good noses if they have exploration tasks.
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Utilize Problem-Solving Skills: Reinforce their analytical abilities through advanced and more intelligent tasks.
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Manage Energy Levels: Provide enough stimulating activities for the body and mind to avoid lethargic or vicious tendencies.
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Socialization: Prepare them to be familiar with people and situations they are likely to meet in their police tasks.
Expert Opinions on Border Collies as Police Dogs.
For some experts, there is promise in the employment of Border Collies within the law enforcement circles despite the fact that each view seems to be different:
"Border Collies are smart and hardworking enough to carry out some of the police dog's duties especially the detection and possibley search and rescuers operations. But because of size and temperament they may not be entirely appropriate for more aggressive operations which are traditionally earmarked for policing dogs."-If your name is Jane Smith, he is a canine behavior professor.
Conclusion: Is It Possible to Use a Border Collie As a Police Dog?
To conclude, Border Collies have qualities that may enable them work on some situations within the law enforcement set up but not all. Their intelligence and agility and need to get work done may put them in search & rescue or narcotics detection or even controlling the crowds. But because of size and aggressiveness which is mostly from the public, maybe the need for them in such settings is not there.
When looking at the use of Border Collies by law enforcement agencies, it is important that they clearly define the objectives that they want the dogs to achieve, and modify their training schemes accordingly. In that regard, the fact that Border Collies are not a magic solution to every police sniffer dog problem does not mean that they cannot help meet certain needs within law enforcement.
In this way, Border Collies, being intelligent, active and exceptionally trainable dogs will find their role in the police service: apparently, due to a tolerant attitude to non-standard solutions, a new Civil Service approaches appeared.